1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to orthopedic braces.
2. Description of the Related Art
Osteoarthritis is a degenerative joint disease that causes chronic pain in an affected joint when the joint is statically or dynamically loaded. In an affected knee, osteoarthritis pain is often caused by an unbalanced loading on the medial or lateral compartment of the joint. Such unbalanced loading can generate increased pressure and reduce the clearance space between the condyles of the femur and tibial plateau. Increased pressure between the femoral and tibial surfaces in an affected compartment of the knee joint can cause cartilage degeneration. As cartilage degenerates, the osteoarthritis sufferer generally experiences increasing pain in the knee. Typically, the pain of osteoarthritis is more severe when dynamic pressure is applied to the joint.
Orthopedic knee braces are commonly applied to the leg to treat osteoarthritis of the knee. Such braces typically include an upper support portion, a lower support portion, and one or more hinge assemblies pivotally interconnecting the upper and lower support portions. The upper support portion is secured to the wearer's upper leg, while the lower support portion is secured to the wearer's lower leg. The hinge assembly (or assemblies) is located to a side of the wearer's knee. A condyle pad is typically located between each hinge assembly and the adjacent side of the knee.
Knee braces of the type described above serve to mitigate the negative consequences of osteoarthritis in the knee joint by applying a three-point bending load to the leg. A condyle pad of the brace applies a force to the side of the knee opposite the affected compartment. For example, a thickness of the adjacent condyle pad may be increased or the pad may be moved closer to the knee using a jackscrew or some other mechanism. The applied force generates resultant forces in the medial/lateral plane above and below the knee. The upper and lower support portions of the brace, respectively, apply these resultant forces on the side of the affected compartment. The applied force and the resultant forces comprise the three-point bending load on the leg. This load realigns the knee. By realigning the orientation of the knee joint, the knee brace reduces the load in the affected compartment of the knee, thereby lessening the pain and the other negative effects of osteoarthritis.